


is this the hill you wanna die on?

by dreamtowns



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Prophecy (Final Fantasy XV), Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Hiking, Humor, Light Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 15:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21412399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamtowns/pseuds/dreamtowns
Summary: “I can’t go on,” said Noctis, and he slapped a palm against the ground because he’s dramatic and the cool dirt feels nice on his skin. “Tell Prompto I love him.”Gladio laughed. “Not gonna say goodbye to your old man?”“He’s the reason I’m out here, so he’s getting written out of my will.”Noctis is not one for camping, or hiking, or anything that doesn’t involve three of his favorite things: sleep, fishing, and Prompto. Unfortunately, Gladio is of the opinion that he needs to get some “actual fresh air for once” and, unfortunately, his father agrees.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Noctis Lucis Caelum, background Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 6
Kudos: 138





	is this the hill you wanna die on?

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Final Fantasy XV. All rights reserved to its developers: Square Enix. All that is mine is the plot of this story in particular and any original characters introduced. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made from this work. This is purely for entertainment purposes.
> 
> Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors! War w/ the Empire was resolved, like, two generations ago.

There were three things in his sweet, sweet life that Noctis loved more than life itself—his sleep schedule, fishing, and his fiancé, Prompto Argentum. He should be impartial to everything, however, mostly because he’s got that pesky royal blood in his veins, but—whatever. The point was that Noctis didn’t like nature.

Sure, he liked looking at pictures of it, and the general idea of going out and hiking a mountain trail seemed like a good time, but the execution? Skipping out on a morning cuddling session with Prompto or more sleep to wake up at the ass crack of dawn and get mosquito love bites?

Yeah, it wasn’t a thing Noctis was into.

Unfortunately, both his shield and his father are of the opinion that he needs some “fresh air” that isn’t from the city walls of Insomnia.

Which brought him to his current dilemma—hiking through some random mountain range in northern Duscae with Gladio. According to his shield, the view was “photogenic,” but that only made Noctis miss Prompto like he’d miss half his soul. The blond was most definitely snuggled warm in their bed, while Noctis trudged through grass and became a chew toy for bugs.

“Can we,” Noctis panted, “take a break?”

Gladio eyed him for a minute, likely judging the redness of Noctis’ cheeks, before he clapped him on the back with a nod. “Why not—drink your water _slowly_, we don’t need you throwing up.”

Noctis obeyed his shield even though he really, really wanted to guzzle down the entire water bottle. Gladio looked right at home in the middle of nature, decked out in light clothing and a bookbag chock full of hiking gear and necessities.

“This is my life now,” Noctis said as he flopped onto the ground. Perhaps the ground would cease spinning. “I have climbed this hill and now I will die upon it.”

“Shut up.” Gladio nudged Noctis’ defeated body with his boots, and Noctis groaned as if he had been stomped on. “We’ve only been hiking for twenty minutes, you big baby.”

“I can’t go on,” said Noctis, and he slapped a palm against the ground because he’s dramatic and the cool dirt feels nice on his skin. “Tell Prompto I love him.”

Gladio laughed. “Not gonna say goodbye to your old man?”

“He’s the reason I’m out here, so he’s getting written out of my will.” A ladybug landed on Noctis’ cheek. He didn’t have the heart—or the strength—to shoo it away. “Royal decree and everything.”

“Alright, Princess.” Even though Noctis couldn’t see Gladio’s face, he knew his shield rolled his eyes. Noctis was nudged again. “Come on. There’s a campground where we’re headed, so you’ll be able to relax your princely little head.”

_“Ugh.”_

After a few more pokes and prods, Noctis rose to his feet and followed Gladio up the rest of the trail. The view and the scenery was quite serene and peaceful, and they certainly weren’t the only ones who weren’t taking advantage of the mountain trail—Noctis lost count of how many fellow hikers, both alone and accompanied by others, that they had passed since they began the walk—and while he would’ve preferred to stay back inside the city, snuggled against Prompto as soft beams of the rising sun slipped through their curtains, he decided to tuck away the rest of his complaints and see just what Gladio—and the rest of the Amicitia’s, for that matter—liked so much about the outside.

Noctis listened as Gladio talked about trail movements and certain information about the area. They weren’t going to stay long at the campgrounds, just for the night. Gladio promised that the view of the stars and moon was “to die for” and he’d “regret it if he missed it.” At that, Noctis wondered what Prompto would do, if he were on the same hiking trip.

_He’d be taking pictures of every little thing, _Noctis thought to himself, with no small amount of fondness. _We wouldn’t get to campgrounds until sunrise. _

Gladio side-eyed him and grinned. “Thinkin’ about blondie?”

“What if I am?” Noctis replied, making his tone exaggeratedly snooty.

Gladio snorted. “You got that lovesick grin on your face.”

Noctis sputtered and mock-shoved Gladio. “I do not!”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.”

“I’m going back to the car,” Noctis sniffed.

“Yeah, yeah.”

They stopped for another short break when Gladio took note of how many times Noctis absentmindedly rubbed that specific spot on his back or leaned down to press a finger or two against the back of his knee. Grateful for the break, Noctis leaned against a tree and counted his breaths. When the phantoms of his old injury faded and seeped away, he gave Gladio a thumbs up.

His Shield looked concerned at the rest of the distance. Which—understandable, but Noctis could handle it. He had to stand for official galas, and there was no such thing as a break for those. “I could carry you the rest of the way,” Gladio offered.

Noctis waved it away. “I’m good, Gladio.”

“You sure?”

“Uh huh.”

“Let me know if it gets worse,” Gladio informed him, a tone brokered no argument. Noctis was still a bit too winded to disagree.

That was another reason why he didn’t really like the outdoors as much—his old injuries just made it too difficult sometimes. Don’t even get Noctis started on when it was cold or, gods forbid, when it _rained._

Contrary to Gladio’s worries, the rest of the hike went fine. They kept a slow, even pace that made many other hikers pass by them. Noctis wasn’t worried and neither was Gladio. They weren’t in a rush, after all.

When they reached the campsite, a leveled space on the hilltop, Noctis’ breath caught in his throat when he saw the horizon. They were high enough that they could see most of Lucis—of the scrawling woods in Cleigne, of the rocky landscapes and scattered forests of Duscae, the swirling sand in the distance that marked Leide, and, of course, Lestallum, nestled atop a shard from the Disc of Cauthess.

Noctis was so busy staring at the view that he hadn’t even noticed Gladio making camp. “Beautiful view, huh?” Gladio said.

Within the amount of time Noctis struggled to reboot his brain, Gladio had set up their tent and worked on coaxing the beginnings of a fire in their small pit.

Noctis gave a distant nod as he stared. After a moment, he took his phone from his pocket and opened the camera. The setting sun made it all the more beautiful. “Prom’s gonna go insane.”

Gladio laughed. “Wait until nightfall.”

Noctis, honestly, couldn’t wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Drop a comment/kudos if you enjoyed it!


End file.
